


「A reserved seat on The Akko Express」

by great_ben_810



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 15:49:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16098824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/great_ben_810/pseuds/great_ben_810
Summary: Summary: The first time Akko flies with a passenger.





	1. Chapter 1

With the change of the season, the “Akko might fly today” club had bloomed into the “Watch over Akko as she flies” club.

At first, Akko had shown such a nerve-wracking flight that everyone was  fearful of her falling, but now Akko’s skill had grown to a smooth and safe flight. Of course, she doesn’t know how to perform acrobatics like Amanda (technically, Diana doesn’t let Amanda teach her how), but Akko has learned how to fly with enough speed and technique that she can enter the Broom Race without having to rely on the Shooting Star (or steroiding her broom into a frog hybrid).

Even now, Akko is flying ahead of everyone as she giggles “Vroom~ vroom~,” easily changing speed and altitude at her whim. Soon, she’ll graduate from the “Watch over Akko as she flies” club, and it’ll just be a “Have fun as we fly” club. Yet, one witch—a witch with flaming red hair and emerald eyes—wanted a bit more excitement during this leisurely time, so she yelled out a suggestion from the back.

“Hey, Akko!”

“What!?”

“Why don’t you try giving someone a ride?”

“Giving a ride…? I want to try!”

Akko braked hard and excitingly looked at her friends who caught up to her.

“Diana! Do you think I can give a ride!?”

Serving as everyone’s voice of reason and morality, Diana had to think a while about the sudden request.

It’s not that she’s doubtful of Akko’s flying skills. In fact, Diana knew that it would be easy—a breeze—for Akko to give a ride to someone.

Yet, for some reason, Diana couldn’t quickly give the permission to allow it.

Perhaps she’s just worried about Akko trying new things.

If so, then she has no right to stunt Akko’s growth with her selfishness.

“Let’s return to the ground first. Once you learn the tips and principles, I will allow it.”

Unfortunately, Diana was distracted by Akko’s cheerfulness that she didn’t see Amanda smirking beside her. 

 

 

“First, unlike riding alone, you must consider the weight for two people when riding with another. It is necessary to find the center of mass at the beginning…”

Noticing that Akko was already lost, Diana promptly changed her teaching style.

“Akko, try balancing this with one finger.”

Diana hid her surprise when Akko successfully balanced the twig in one try.

“Then, suppose I push down on this side of the branch. How would you maintain the balance?”

“Hmm, I move my finger towards the side that’s being pushed!”

“Correct. Depending on the distribution of mass, the center of mass will change. Riding with another person follows this same principle.”

“I see.”

“Next, I will demonstrate Newton’s laws of motion. Just a moment while I transform this into a car…”

“Wait! I want to do it!”

“Do you know the incantation?”

“Of course!

_Oruihon Deance_!”

After she praised Akko for transforming the branch into a toy car, Diana continued their private lesson.


	2. Chapter 2

While Diana and Akko were studying, the rest of them were gambling.

Nothing illegal…just betting on who Akko’s first passenger will be…but gambling nevertheless.

The majority betted on Diana, but Amanda didn’t agree on that choice.

“Are you stupid!? She’ll give a ride to Diana! They went to outer space together! S P A C E!”

“Just look at them! They’re flirting with each other even now!”

Hannah and Barbara accusingly point their fingers towards Diana and Akko who were giggling.

“Newton’s law of motion isn’t  _that_  funny!”

“You guys don’t get it-”

Amanda had opened her mouth to retaliate only for Sucy to cut her off.

“No. It’s you who doesn’t get it. Akko has been conditioned by Diana with all those fruit sandwiches. Like a lab rat.”

“Sucy! That’s a bit cruel! But, I think it’ll be Diana as well. They remind me of  _Nightfall_!”

With the mention of  _Nightfall_ , a discussion bloomed between Lotte and Barbara that the others ignored to continue with their gambling.

“Diana’s fruit sandwiches are delicious~. Diana is very nice to Akko~.”

[My bet is on Diana.]

Even without her teammates’ support, Amanda insists differently that Hannah lost her patience.

“Fine. Who do you think she’ll give a ride to?”

“Well, it’ll be me.”

Amanda’s answer was responded with Sucy’s cackles.

“You’re as stupid as Akko.”

[LOL! Nice joke!]

Ignoring Sucy and Constanze’s jest, Amanda continues.

“There’s a magical word in America that’ll let me ride with her.”

“What is it?”

“I call shotgun! Whoever shouts this first  _always_  gets to ride as passenger.”

“Akko isn’t from America, so she wouldn’t understand that culture. It won’t matter.”

“She’ll give me a ride once I explain it to her. Anyway, if I win, I get to order all of you around for one month.”

Hannah and Sucy perked up once they heard that.

“This isn’t even a fair fight since we already know who will win.”

“I can’t believe you offered yourself to be a guinea pig.”

 

 

Akko and Diana had finally returned from their private world—without a clue that their friends had involved them in their gambling game.

“Therefore, based on the mass and center of mass, you will have to move your body and magic in an exaggerating manner to accelerate or decelerate. Do you have any questions, Akko?”

“Nope! It was super easy to understand thanks to you, Diana! Now, I just have to try it out.”

“Then, I will permit you giving a ride.”

Akko throws her arms up in the air to cheer.

“Yay~! Then…”

(Diana! Akko, choose Diana!)

(Ha, if I just shout ‘I call shotgun’ here, that passenger seat will be mine!)

“Lotte! Can you ride with me?”

.

.

.

##  **“WHAT!?!?”**

[You’ve got to be kidding me]

“Why are you all shouting!?”

While Diana questioningly looks around, Akko jolts in surprise and her question was answered by Lotte who sheepishly asked her what was on everyone’s mind.

“Um, Akko, are you sure you want me to ride with you on your first time?”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to… It’ll be scary to ride with me…”

The second she saw Akko slump her shoulders and fidget with her fingers, Lotte regretted all about her history of gambling.

“That’s not it! It’s not that I’m scared! I was just wondering why you chose me…?”

Relieved that she wasn’t rejected, Akko carefully shared a dear memory.

“You know how I couldn’t ride a broom the first time I came to Luna Nova, right? I couldn’t enter the Leyline, so I couldn’t get to school. I was about to cry because I was finally here, yet my dream was about to end before I could start it…And that was when you came, Lotte!”

Akko lets out a small laugh before she continues.

“Now that I think about it, I didn’t really give you a choice when I asked you to give me a ride, but you didn’t complain at all. Even that time with the Papiliodia, fighting against Fafnir Gramp’s dragons, any time we go to Blytonbury, you always give me a ride! So that’s why the first person I wanted to give a ride when I learned how to fly is you, Lotte!”

“Akko…”

“…it’s embarrassing to say this out loud.”

Akko was scratching her blushed cheek until her arm got trapped in Lotte’s bearhug.

“Thank you for telling me that, Akko! I’m really happy, it’s an honor!”

“H-hop on behind me already…Hold on tight, okay?”

“Okay!”

 

 

Just as Diana thought, it was a breeze for Akko.

The only part Akko had trouble with was in the beginning when she was taking off from the ground; however, Akko quickly found the center of mass and she was flying once she adjusted to it.

She was on her second lap around the Luna Tower.

Anyone can see that Akko was flying perfectly even with a passenger.

But the uneasiness remained.

Maybe she was still worried.

Mass cannot be created or destroyed,

but by the time Akko and Lotte returned to the ground laughing,

Diana felt something heavy in her heart.


	3. Chapter 3

With the success of her first passenger riding, Akko gave a ride to anybody at every opportunity.

Lotte has already ridden 20 times whenever they go to Blytonbury, Sucy a handful to the forest for mushroom harvesting, and Amanda a couple times whenever they break curfew. Just last week, Hannah got a ride with Akko when she picked up her broom from the maintenance store in town.

Speedy and surprisingly reliable, Akko’s flying service gained reputation as “The Akko Express” among the Luna Nova students (and Professor Ursula); yet, the number of times that Diana relied on this service is zero.

You would think that Akko will offer to give a ride to Diana at least once whenever they all go to Blytonbury to hangout, but Amanda shouts out ‘shotgun’ or whatever violent firearm and jumps on Akko’s back before anyone can react. So, the number of times that Diana has ridden with Akko remains to be zero. And every time she sees Akko giving someone else a ride, an unconscious sigh escapes. It’s not a loud or long sigh and not many people would even notice it, but Hannah and Barbara aren’t Diana’s roommates for nothing.

“Diana?”

“What is it, Hannah?”

“Why don’t you get a ride with Akko when we return to Luna Nova?”

“…Why must I do so?”

To this, Hannah could only stammer out her response.

“Wha-, I, Don’t you  _want_  to ride with Akko?”

“No? Perhaps when it’s an emergency and there are no other options, I might ask her to give me a ride but…that is improbable. We should catch up with them. Akko is already entering the Leyline.”

To this, Hannah lost her ability to speak and could only stare at Diana’s back like a deer in headlights.

Based on that short conversation, Diana seems to be unaware of her own feelings.

For a completely different reason from Diana’s, Hannah lets out a sigh as she shrugs her shoulders and looks at Barbara who had a fire burning in her teal eyes.

“Barbara, we’re going to need an extremely direct approach for this.”

“Leave this to me.”

 

 

The next day, Saturday noon.

Barbara walked straight to Akko’s room.

To Barbara, no other direct approach than Akko exists. So instead of prompting Diana to do something, she knew that it would be faster to make Akko act to get results.

If Akko was able to bring back Diana from becoming the head of the Cavendish, then Akko would be able to get Diana to ride with her.

Barbara knocked the Red team’s door to be greeted by Lotte.

“Barbara! Good morning! What brings you here today?”

“Morning, Lotte! I have a little business with Akko. Is she awake?”

Peeking inside the room, Barbara saw Sucy experimenting with some dangerous-looking substances at her desk while Akko was still in the dream land…until Barbara approached Akko and violently shook her shoulders.

“Hnya!? Earthquake!? We have earthquakes here!?”

“Good morning, Akko. How long are you planning to sleep? Your eyes will rot.”

“I’ll sleep however much I want on Saturday! Huh? Why are  _you_  here?”

After a little cough to clear her throat, Barbara goes straight to the point.

“Give Diana a ride.”

“On what?”

“Your broom.”

“With who?”

“Who else but you!?”

“With me? You’re kidding.”

“I’m serious!”

Akko suddenly sat up straight in her bed and pointed her index finger up to Barbara’s face.

“First! Whenever I give someone a ride, Diana  _glares_  at me. It reminds me of the first time we met…”

“That’s because you don’t give her a ride!”

Akko clicks her tongue as she waves her finger in front of Barbara.

“Second! I offered her a ride and she rejected it.”

“What! When and where!?”

“Last Saturday evening. I saw her walking near where all those ancient magical stuff are being stored, so I offered to give her a ride back to the dorms but she ran off into the forest after she said, ‘Not necessary.’”

Barbara had to cover the disbelief on her face when she heard that. Suddenly, it made sense why Diana returned to the dorm drenched in sweat and twigs that day.

Yet, Barbara couldn’t believe that Diana would turn down her chance to ride with Akko. Actually, she could believe it if she thought about Diana’s reputation and pride as a Cavendish.

“Therefore, based on the evidence, Diana doesn’t want to-ghwa!”

Ignoring Akko’s impersonation of Diana, Barbara causes an earthquake again.

“Listen to me, Akko! Even if you have to force her, let Diana ride with you! If possible, to a place where people won’t see you two!”

“But-”

“NO BUTS! This is an absolute order!”

“F-fine…”

Akko had to reluctantly agree to her conditions because she’s never seen Barbara this demanding before. Akko swore that she saw a volcano exploding behind Barbara—that was how passionate she was. On the other hand, satisfied with the successful negotiation, Barbara was about to leave the room when she was stopped by Lotte.

“We’re going to read  _Nightfall_  today too, right?”

“Of course, Lotte! I’ll be waiting at the usual place!”

While Barbara was talking with Lotte, Akko rubbed her eyes because she was now seeing flowers bloom out of nowhere near Barbara. Once she was sure that Barbara left and couldn’t hear her, Akko was finally able to complain.

“The way she treats me and Lotte is too different! It’s unfair!”

Sucy, who had remained silent throughout the whole situation, just grimaced as she mumbled under her breath something about wanting  _Nightfall_  to disappear.


	4. Chapter 4

That night.

After Diana showered and caught up on some reading, she prepared to go to sleep only to rub her eyes again and again—not because she was tired but because she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Diana was wondering if the object floating outside of her window was really Akko who was, for some reason, wearing a black leather jacket.

Akko was pointing at the locked window as she mouthed, ‘O PEN,’ to which Diana reluctantly unlocked the window.

“What are you thinking, Akko? And what are you wearing?”

Akko completely ignores Diana’s exasperated sigh to show off her outfit.

“Isn’t it cool!? But we’ll have to talk later! I want to show you something so hop on, Diana!”

“Where do you think you’re going? Do you even know what time-”

Diana’s reasonable line of thinking was interrupted with Akko’s panicked voice.

“Diana! Less talking and more jumping! The outside night patrols will be coming soon!”

She couldn’t help but get dragged to Akko’s pace, so Diana clumsily jumped out of the window onto Akko’s back.

From there, Akko flew in such a calculated route that Diana was about to interrogate her whether she was frequently breaking curfew. Luckily for Akko, the chilly wind shuddered Diana into silence. As one would expect, a pajama robe is no match for the night.

“You must be cold. Here, wear this.”

Just minutes earlier, Diana thought this leather jacket was the most ridiculous and silliest thing she’s ever seen, but now she can only gratefully accept it.

Embraced by Akko’s smell and warmth, Diana had fallen asleep before she knew it.

 

 

It was a dream about her mother.

Not when her mother was bedridden, but when her mother was still healthy.

The first time when her mother showed Diana how to fly.

Diana could see her younger self sitting in front of her mother; her mother’s hand placed above her smaller hands, which held tightly on the broom.

A child flying with her parent. Any child from a magical family experiences this, but Diana has felt her mother’s warmth only a handful times.

She had to grow up faster than other children her age, but before Diana could dwell on it any longer

the next dream had begun.

 

 

Now, she was watching herself get lectured by her mother.

If she remembers correctly, this was when she showed her mother the first time she was able to fly by herself.

Seeing how happy her mother was, Diana got carried away and stood on her broom, trying to surf just like Shiny Chariot.

Of course, Diana had impressively lost her balance, and her mother rushed towards her.Even through her coughing, her mother had casted a healing spell, which was followed by lecturing Diana who was crying.

At the time, Diana vowed to never make her mother worry anymore but now that she looks back on this,

Diana was glad she took the risk because getting in trouble and being lectured by her mother is one of her most treasured memory.

 

 

The last dream seems to be from her perspective.

Yet, Diana has no memory of this.

She can tell that she’s flying on a broom with someone, but she was sitting behind.

Up until now, Diana was the one giving a ride to someone, so it was new for her to be the passenger.

Diana hesitantly raised her eyes upwards to see who the driver was and upon recognizing the driver’s hair, she was about to fall off in surprise if the driver  hadn’t reached behind to catch her like a guard rail.

“M-mother…?”

“I’m sorry, Diana. I must have surprised you.”

Even if it were a dream, to hear her mother say her name again brought tears in her eyes that Diana could only push her face against her mother’s back.

“I intended on giving you rides from our home to Luna Nova, but I left you by yourself too soon, didn’t I? But even without me, you became such a magnificent witch that I thought you didn’t need me! Oh, I was so sad~”

“That’s not true!”

Diana could hear the teasing in her mother’s voice, but she couldn’t joke back.

“I know. You were studying very hard, so that you could be a strong and respectable Cavendish that anyone can rely on, right?”

This time Diana presses her forehead and nods.

“But you know, you don’t have to always think about the Cavendish and its future.”

“…what do you mean?”

“Instead of always being The Diana Cavendish, you could just be Diana. You can do what you really want to do! You could complain, be selfish, or do some silly things with your friends!”

“I can’t do those things…I don’t know how to.”

“I’m sure you can do it, Diana! You might be a little clumsy at first, but your wonderful friends will wait until you get used to it!”

“but…”

“Hmm~, can’t you believe what your mother is saying?”

“I’m just scared…”

The wind could have blown away Diana’s whisper, but her mother heard her true feelings loud and clear.

“It’ll be fine, Diana. They’re friends who will accept you for who you are. You know this the best, don’t you?”

“yes…”

“And I will always love you no matter what you do, Diana.”

“me too! I love you too…”

“My! That makes me happy! Why don’t you try telling her that as well?”

Before the dream could end, Diana’s mother had turned around to wink at her daughter—a 16 year old Diana who showed her cute, blushing face.


	5. Chapter 5

She couldn’t tell if she were still dreaming or not.

However, Diana could tell that she was leaning against someone’s back.

In a hurry, she pulled away from the warmth.

“You finally woke up!”

“akko…?”

“That’s right, sleepyhead.”

Akko deepens her voice to do her best impersonation of a conductor.

“Ehem. Oh, Valued customer, how was the riding experience of the best seat on The Akko Express?”

Diana places her ear against Akko’s back and answers.

“It was very nice, Conductor. More importantly, what is this arm doing?”

Diana touches Akko’s arm, which was wrapped around Diana’s waist.

“Well, I’ve never given a ride to someone who fell asleep before, so I thought it would be safer this way!”

“Oh…I apologize…you can let go now.”

“No need to be sorry! You held on tightly even when you were sleeping, so I just wanted to do it! But I didn’t think my shoulder would cramp up this much, ouch…”

For some reason, Diana felt like teasing, so she drilled her head against Akko’s cramping muscles.

“OW! OUCH! Haha, hey, stop! Diana~! ‘Do you wanna walk home?’”

Diana stops her attack to hit Akko’s back with disapproval.

“That doesn’t even sound like me.”

“You remembered! You said that to hide your blushing when you gave me a ride back to school from your house!”

“Of course, I remember. Although I was not blushing.”

“Hmmm~ don’t be embarrassed!”

Giving up on arguing, Diana places her other ear against Akko’s back and noticed that she could hear Akko’s heartbeat.

As she listens to the calming rhythm, Diana sees the scenery that spread before her eyes.

“Now that I think about it, it was a full moon back then, too. Tonight’s seems bigger though.”

“Mhm! Tonight’s a super moon. I wanted to show it to you too, so I kidnapped you!”

“Then, I’ll have to report this crime to the professors.”

“Y-you’re joking…right?”

Diana just laughs in response and continues to listen to Akko’s heart.

When she noticed that the rhythm quickened, Akko had quietly begun to speak.

“Diana, I said this back then, but…you could rely on us more. I want to know more about what you like or dislike, and if there’s something you’re struggling with, I want to know that to.”

It’s a déjà vu for Diana, but her eyes tear up again.

“So, even if it’s little by little, I want you to be more selfish. For example, you want me to play with you in the Shiny Chariot Trading Card game, or you want a bite of our desserts…Oh! Or where you’re sitting right now can be your special seat! Haha, just kiddin-”

“That one.”

“Huh? Which one? The card game or the dessert?”

“From now on. Reserve this seat for only me.”

“WHA? HUH? WAI, huh, WHAT?”

Hearing Akko’s every single wild heartbeat, Diana tightened her arms against Akko’s waist and repeated her selfish wish.

One by one, Diana will practice being selfish until the day she can say, 

  
“I love you.”

 

 

+++

Meanwhile, in the Blue Team’s room, Hannah and Barbara had pretended to be asleep during Diana’s escape out the window.

“Barbara, close the window. It’s getting cold.”

“ _Pardon_? You’re closer to it! You close it!”

“It’s too far~!”

“I’m farther from it! But, s-seriously, it’s getting c-cold.”

Hannah, who was tightly wrapped in her blanket, called out Barbara’s name and raised her arm to temporarily peel away her warm covers.

“You’re always welcome to sleep with me. It’ll be warmer~”

Barbara didn’t have to think to accept Hannah’s invitation.

“Oh, while your standing, could you close the window?”

It took every inch of morality in Barbara to not smack Hannah with a hardcover edition of  _Nightfall_.


End file.
